Outer surface of the sun is called:
- (A) Chromosphere
- (B) Photosphere
- (C) Corona
- (D) Ionosphere
- (B) Photosphere
The Photosphere is the visible outer surface of the Sun, the layer that you can see with the naked eye or with a telescope. It is the source of the sunlight that shines on Earth, and its average temperature is about 5,500 °C (9,932 °F).
- Chromosphere – layer above the photosphere
- Corona – Sun’s outer atmosphere, visible during a solar eclipse
- Ionosphere – part of Earth’s atmosphere, not the Sun
Sun’s diameter is:
- (A) 3 million km
- (B) 2.5 million km
- (C) 1.4 million km
- (D) 1 million km
- (C) 1.4 million km
The Sun has a diameter of approximately 1.4 million kilometers (870,000 miles). This makes the Sun’s diameter 109 times larger than the Earth’s. The Sun is the largest body in the Solar System, as it comprises more than 99% of the total mass in the Solar System.
The largest planet is:
- (A) Venus
- (B) Jupiter
- (C) Mercury
- (D) Mars
- (B) Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system by a huge margin. It is a gas giant, measuring 88,846 miles in diameter (142,984 km), which is about 11 times the diameter of the Earth. Its mass is more than the total mass of all other planets in our solar system combined by a margin of more than two times.
The continuous movement of continents is called continental ______:
- (A) Shakes
- (B) Drift
- (C) Motion
- (D) Hofer
- (B) Drift
Continental drift refers to the theory that the continents are constantly moving. Proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 1900s, the theory describes how the continents of the Earth move horizontally and change position over a long period of time as they drift on the surface of the Earth.
The layer of atmosphere in which we live is called:
- (A) Troposphere
- (B) Photosphere
- (C) Ionosphere
- (D) Stratosphere
- (A) Troposphere
The troposphere rests immediately above the ground, making it the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. It extends from the ground up to an average height of 11 to 13 kilometers (7 to 8 miles). This is where life exists, and this is where all weather occurs, as it contains 75% to 80% of the total mass of the atmosphere and 99% of the water vapor present in the atmosphere.
The study of fingerprints is called:
- (A) Genetics
- (B) Histology
- (C) Haematology
- (D) Dactylography
- (D) Dactylography
Dactylography is the study of fingerprints—the aim is identification. Its origins trace back to Greek, where daktylos is finger and graphia is writing or study. It concentrates on the patterns created by friction ridges—loops, whorls, and arches—that remain constant from birth to death. Dactylography is a basic tool of forensic science, used to link suspects to crime scenes and to determine who has the right to a certain identity.
- Genetics: This is the biological study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation in living organisms.
- Histology: This refers to the microscopic study of biological tissues and their structures.
- Haematology: This is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of blood, blood-forming organs, and blood diseases.
Which rocks make the earth’s surface or crust?
- (A) Sedimentary rock
- (B) Igneous rock
- (C) Metamorphic rock
- (D) All of these
- (D) All of these
The Earth’s crust is the outermost solid layer of the Earth, comprising all three types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks constitute the largest portion of the Earth’s crust, accounting for 90-95% of the total volume, formed as a result of the cooling of magma or lava. Metamorphic rocks constitute a large portion of the remaining crust, formed as a result of the transformation of existing rocks due to high pressure and temperatures. Sedimentary rocks form a thin layer, covering 73-75% of the Earth’s land surface, but only 5-8% of the total volume of the Earth’s crust.
Area in a desert where there is sufficient water for plants:
- (A) Grass
- (B) Oasis
- (C) Green desert
- (D) Greenland
- (B) Oasis
An oasis is an area in the desert where there is enough water for plants to grow. An oasis is typically a fertile area that is formed around a natural underground spring of water, a well, or an aquifer. This provides plants with the opportunity to grow in an area that is otherwise arid.
Plate tectonics theory explains the movements of:
- (A) Rockets
- (B) Rivers
- (C) Oceans
- (D) Continents
- (D) Continents
The right answer is (D) Continents. Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that the Earth’s outer layer, the lithosphere, is broken up into large and small pieces called tectonic plates. These plates move on top of a layer of partially melted material called the asthenosphere. Plate tectonics is the latest scientific theory that incorporates and explains the former scientific theory of continental drift—the theory that the continents move around the Earth. Plate tectonics explains how the continents move, how mountains are formed, and why there are earthquakes and volcanoes by demonstrating how these large plates move.
Silicon is also called:
- (A) Stone Maker
- (B) Ocean Maker
- (C) Earth Maker
- (D) Mountain Maker
- (C) Earth Maker
Silicon is also known as the “Earth Maker” element because it is a basic building block of the Earth’s crust. It is the second most abundant element on Earth, making up 27.72% of the Earth’s crust.